Category: Los Angeles

A massive landslide covering a large section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard still poses a safety risk and may not be cleared until fall, the California Department of Transportation said. Recent storms further saturated the unstable hillside, CalTrans officials said. Water has been seeping beneath the dirt, mud and rocks, an indication that the land may move again. That is especially concerning, officials said, because a large boulder sitting about 10 feet high has developed a crack that is 5 to 10 feet wide. The unstable hillside pose a challenge as well as a safety risk for crews who must bring material from the top of the hillside to the ground. The roadway is closed from Grand View Drive in the community of Topanga to Pacific Coast Highway. The landslide was one of several that occurred last month after a series of winter rainstorms drenched Southern California, dumping more than a typical year’s worth of rain on the region in a matter of weeks. CalTrans officials estimate the landslide is about 8,000 cubic yards and weighs about 9.2 million pounds. “That is enough material to fill

Three pedestrians were critically injured after being struck by a sedan while walking in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood Thursday night.  The crash occurred around 11 p.m. in the 500 block of South Alvarado Street across from MacArthur Park. Emergency personnel found three patients at the scene who were transported to a hospital for further treatment. Emergency personnel respond to a crash involving three pedestrians in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles on April 18, 2024. (KTLA) All three were in critical condition, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated in a news alert. The ages and identities of the victims were not released. Details around the crash were unclear including whether the pedestrians were in a crosswalk when they were struck. Bouncer at West Hollywood nightclub arrested after violent altercation The driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident.

The Los Angeles Zoo shared a recent video of two baby bighorn sheep lambs born last month.  The video posted to the L.A. Zoo’s Facebook page Thursday shows the newborns jumping and bonding with the rest of the herd. “Baby alert, times two! 🐑🐑 Say hello to our two boisterous bighorn sheep lambs,” the L.A. Zoo announced in the post. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen with an older member of the herd in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April 18, 2024. A bighorn sheep lamb is seen in an image taken from video provided by the Los Angeles Zoo via Facebook on April

Two planes nearly collided at Washington’s Reagan National Airport – CBS News Watch CBS News A JetBlue flight from Washington to Boston began to take off at the same time a Southwest jet was crossing the same runway. Both planes stopped moments before a potential collision. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

U.S. officials on conflict between Israel, Iran – CBS News Watch CBS News President Biden warned about risking a wider war in the Middle East, and while the White House is monitoring the situation, there has been no official response. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met virtually Thursday with Israeli leaders, but it is unclear if Israel told U.S. leaders about the planned strike on Iran. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

By Elaine Cobbe Updated on: April 19, 2024 / 8:59 AM EDT / CBS News Police set up a security cordon in Paris’ wealthy 16th arrondissement Friday amid reports that a man was threatening to detonate an alleged explosive belt at an Iranian consulate. The Paris police would say only that an intervention was underway on the street where the consulate is located, but French media soon reported that the suspect had been taken into custody. The Reuters news agency said the man was not found to have any explosives. Le Parisien newspaper quoted police sources as saying an eyewitness had seen a man present himself at the door of the consulate before opening his coat to reveal what looked like a homemade explosive belt. French police, including special forces, secure the area near an Iranian consulate in Paris, where a man was reportedly threatening to blow himself up, April 19, 2024. Benoit Tessier/REUTERS The newspaper cited several eyewitnesses who saw the man place flags on the floor of the consulate. They recounted that he said he wanted to avenge the death of his brother.

Rock ‘n Roll guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80 – CBS News Watch CBS News Legendary guitarist Dickey Betts died Thursday at his home in Florida after battling cancer. The Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Famer was 80 years old. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Whatever happened to Google’s “Don’t be evil” motto? That corporate maxim is apparently gone, and the Internet behemoth has decided to display its super villain side. The latest example is a campaign in California to demonstrate just how easily the company could crush news outlets if state lawmakers dare to pass a law requiring that tech companies, such as Google, share advertising revenue with the journalists who produce much of the content on their platforms. Google announced last week that it would remove links to California news websites from search results. The company portrayed the move as a “test” to prepare for the possible implications if the California Journalism Preservation Act passes. The company has not said how long or how widespread the test will be. We’re not fooled and neither should anyone else be who cares about the survival of independent news reporting. The California Journalism Preservation Act is supported by the California News Publishers Assn. and the News/Media Alliance, of which The Times is a member. Google’s announcement was clearly intended as a threat to news organizations and state lawmakers to stand down

I begrudgingly met my husband. I had been in L.A. for a short time and was keeping busy with the California lifestyle I had always dreamed of. With my doctorate in audiology, I had my first real job in the profession I had studied for many years. I also had my own apartment, complete with a complex pool surrounded by palm trees. I even bought a convertible that I could cruise top down year-round. Having come from Canada, where winter is the most prominent season, being in Southern California felt more like a vacation than real life. My weekdays were about work, so I decided to settle close to my office in Santa Clarita. I had the dream commute. I was two songs on the radio from my doorstep to the office. Also, Santa Clarita provided the perfect springboard for exploring SoCal on weekends. It was a quick jaunt to the beach on the 126. Or I could go north to the wine country or over to the desert or mountains depending on my mood or the weather. I was single and excited to take

On Thursday, National Hockey League owners approved the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City. The team will be playing in Salt Lake City next season. Done deal. In November, Major League Baseball owners approved the relocation of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas. The team plans to play in Sacramento for the next three years, with the intention of moving into a new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028. Done deal? The A’s themselves might be growing a wee bit concerned, based on a court filing this week. Quick rewind: The Nevada Legislature last June approved $380 million in public funding toward the new ballpark. The governor promptly signed the bill, which leaves the A’s and owner John Fisher responsible for the balance of the estimated $1.5-billion construction cost. A Nevada teachers’ union announced two challenges to the public funding, pursuing a referendum that would let voters decide and filing a lawsuit alleging the bill was unconstitutional. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said last October that “an adverse development with respect to that referendum … would be a significant development.” The pitch to

Updated on: April 19, 2024 / 7:14 AM EDT / CBS/AP U.S. officials: Israeli missile hits Iran Israeli missile hits Iran, U.S. officials confirm 06:17 Two U.S. officials told CBS News on Thursday night that an Israeli missile had struck Iran. The strike came less than a week after Iran’s unprecedented retaliatory  drone and missile attack on Israel, to which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to respond. The U.S. officials did not provide any information about the location or extent of the Israeli strike, and the Israel Defense Forces would not comment on the attack when asked by CBS News. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said air defense batteries fired across several provinces, but it didn’t elaborate on why the batteries had fired. Iranians did report hearing the sound of explosions in several locations, but there was no urgent meeting called of Iran’s ruling High National Council, state television said, and it appeared the Iranian government was trying to downplay the impact of the Israeli attack. State media and Iranian sources speaking with various news outlets mentioned only small drones flying around a couple

Updated on: April 19, 2024 / 6:45 AM EDT / CBS/AP Tracing family trees to catch killers Inside the genetic genealogy being used to solve crimes 13:49 A Maine farmer convicted of killing a 12-year-old girl more than three decades ago launched his latest bid on Thursday for a new trial by trying to convince a judge that advances in DNA testing raise questions about his guilt. The attorney for Dennis Dechaine called his first witness at the start of a two-day hearing in Knox County Superior Court. Dechaine is trying to make the case that tests conducted by a California laboratory excluded his DNA from several items found at the crime scene, requiring a new trial in which jurors could weigh all the evidence. Prosecutors have contended plenty of other evidence links Dechaine to the crime and that his DNA could not be excluded from several other items. Dechaine, 66, is serving a life sentence for the murder and sexual assault of Sarah Cherry, who disappeared while babysitting in Bowdoin in July 1988. Her body was found two days later. Dennis Dechaine stands by

Twenty-five years ago on April 20, 1999, one teacher and 12 students were shot and killed by two seniors at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. Another 21 members of the Columbine school community were injured in this shooting and countless lives devastated. That kind of mass violence — and in a school no less — was unthinkable at the time. Yet the past quarter-century has tragically and frustratingly shown that we have failed to keep schoolchildren safe . The communities of Newtown, Conn., Parkland, Fla., and Uvalde, Texas, like Littleton, were subsequently forced to contend with the unimaginable. And so too have hundreds of others that have not made the national news despite gun violence in their schools. Data from the Washington Post allow us to estimate that more than 370,000 K-12 students have been exposed to firearm violence since Columbine. And data my colleagues and I are gathering show that there have been nearly 350 intentional school shootings in K-12 public schools since 2015, meaning these events have taken place during school hours and with a perpetrator’s intent to harm someone else. Firearms

California’s math wars are roiling the state’s educational system, with contentious debates over high school curricula. At issue is whether a “data science” course should be available as a substitute for Algebra 2. The University of California and California State University systems previously accepted data science as an advanced math requirement in place of Algebra 2. But UC and CSU both recently reversed that decision. Data science proponents cite the high failure rates of Black and Latino students even in Algebra 1. They point to the concrete, real-world applications of data science as an excellent student motivator compared with dull, theoretical algebra topics such as the quadratic formula, arguing that the substitute offers more vital knowledge for our data-oriented society. Two popular data science curricula have emerged: UCLA’s Introduction to Data Science and Stanford’s youcubed . But as a longtime data science educator, I am appalled at the implications and consequences of allowing data science to substitute for Algebra 2. Among other concerns, it would hurt Black and Latino students, the very group that data science proponents profess to help , teaching them almost no

A video circulating on social media captured the moments a bus driver was stabbed Saturday night by a passenger in Willowbrook as other passengers watched. The driver survived and is recovering at home, but the incident heightens concern about the safety of Metro’s bus drivers and passengers. The attack came less 24 hours after an argument among passengers resulted in the stabbing of a 70-year-old man on a bus in Silver Lake and less than a month after another man hijacked and crashed a bus in downtown Los Angeles. Metro’s head of security, who was recently fired after filing a complaint to the agency’s inspector general, says that law enforcement isn’t doing enough to prosecute those responsible for such crimes, and the local union representing drivers said they are worried about their members’ safety. “It has got to stop, it has got to stop,” said John Ellis, who represents six union locals that account for 5,000 bus and rail operators working at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “There are people that are afraid to go to work.” Ellis has been working with Metro to

Every tattoo has a story. Some are good; others may leave a nagging sense of regret. Those tattoos that make you cringe are at the heart of a contest that the PetSmart superstore company launched this month. Dubbed the “Redo Tattoo” contest, PetSmart is offering five winners a chance to replace tattoos they regret with a portrait of a pet. The company’s website already has a gallery of regrettable tattoos that includes badly drawn stars, an outline of the state of Oklahoma, Bad Bunny’s heart logo and lots of kanji, the Japanese characters that many Americans have inked into their skin. The company said it has partnered with Alium Tattoo Studio in Culver City to provide consultation and sessions with tattoo artists who will turn those regrettable images into fresh ink of beloved furry friends. Don’t live in Los Angeles? No problem. The company says it will also provide winners with travel and a two-night hotel stay in L.A. The contest, which is open to U.S. residents 18 and older , is part of PetSmart’s publicity campaign for a new rewards program. Entries must be

TAIPEI, Taiwan —  The U.S.-China rivalry has a new flashpoint in the battle for technology supremacy: electric cars. So far, the U.S. is losing. Last year, China became the world’s foremost auto exporter, according to the China Passenger Car Assn., surpassing Japan with more than 5 million sales overseas. New energy vehicles accounted for about 25% of those exports, and more than half of those were created by Chinese brands, a shift from the traditional assembly role China has played for foreign automakers. “The big growth has happened in the last three years,” said Stephen Dyer, head of the Asia automotive and industrials unit at AlixPartners, a consulting firm. “With Chinese automakers making inroads for most of the market share, that’s a huge challenge for foreign automakers.” China’s rapid expansion domestically and abroad has added fuel to a series of clashes between the U.S. and China over trade and advanced technology, as competition intensifies between the two superpowers. The U.S. has lofty goals for expanding its own EV industry. California, which accounted for 37% of the nation’s electric car sales as of 2022, aims to phase

With spring in full swing, community members and visitors to Atascadero are taking advantage of two major outdoor attractions – the Charles Paddock Zoo and neighboring Atascadero Lake. On Wednesday, the Charles Paddock Zoo announced news that could bring in more visitors – the birth of a baby Mongoose Lemur. Lead Zookeeper, Katie Mulder, explained what this birth means for the zoo. “Any birth is super exciting,” Mulder said, “This is a pair of mongoose lemurs that was sent to us by recommendation of the SSP with hopes that they would breed.” She thinks the news could boost zoo attendance as well. “There have been a couple of people who have said, ‘Hey a baby lemur, where’s the baby lemur?'” Mulder said, “I’m sure that will definitely pick up in the next week or so as word starts to spread. Especially among members, we have people who come who know these guys as individuals, and they’re really excited to see the animals they know have a baby and get to watch that baby grow.” Brandon Pauley is a recent member of the zoo and frequently

Funding to the tune of $2.5 million was secured for three northern San Luis Obispo County projects to help solve local challenges through direct federal investment. Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California’s 19th congressional district secured the funding, his office announced in a press release late last week. Some of those challenges include first responders need for better resources. In Templeton, Rep. Panetta secured $1 million for a new fire engine for the citys fire department. Templeton Fire Chief Tom Peterson shared why replacing the old engine is critical. We currently have a 23-year-old engine that definitely lets us know its age every once in a while,” he said. “And its cost us quite a bit the last few years to keep it going.” Without a new engine, they have to rely on an engine that isnt designed for fighting structural fires. Its the capability of what we can do on a large commercial fire or even a residential fire in a woodland engine as opposed to a structure engine thats designed for structural firefighting, Peterson said. In Paso Robles, Rep. Panetta allotted $500,000 towards a

When it comes to finding a specific location, GPS is incredible, but let’s face it – nobody is exchanging coordinates. An app called what3words is trying to make finding people and places, as well as meeting up – simple, fast and easy. Plus, it works even without a signal. The app recently teamed up with BMO Stadium in Los Angeles – home of the Los Angeles Football Club – to publish specific what3words addresses for key locations such as gates, the team store, concession stands, and the box office. “It’s human nature not to pay attention to signs necessarily,” said Christian Lau, the stadium’s Chief Technology officer. “Having a tech solution for a younger demographic that they can use, they’re familiar with it, it just makes everything easier to get in and around the venue.” Christian Lau of Los Angeles Football Club What3words divides the world into 10×10 foot squares and has given each one a unique but memorable three-world name. “GPS coordinates are kind of confusing and complicated. I mean nobody really in everyday life does that. So the idea of what3words is just

El camino rumbo a la pelea de este sábado entre Ryan García (24-1, 20 KOs) y el campeón Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) ha sido uno de los más raros que se han dado en la era moderna del boxeo. García, quien comenzó a llamar la atención en el pugilismo por su velocidad y gran fortaleza en sus puños, gozó desde el inicio de su carrera de una enorme popularidad en las redes sociales, a medidas exageradas, gracias también a su carisma y atractivo físico. Debemos tener en cuenta que hasta hace cuatro años, García se encontraba enfrentando a adversarios desconocidos, ganando grandes sumas de dinero, a pesar de que muchos aún lo consideraban un “youtuber” y que no ha ganado un título mundial. Debemos también recordar que García no ha experimentado cambios significativos a la percepción que muchos tienen de él. Su única victoria convincente en los grandes escenarios probablemente fue ante Luke Campbell, a quien noqueó en 2021. Sus otras victorias han sido ante rivales de cuestionable nivel. García parecía ganar en credibilidad cuando decidió unirse al campamento de Canelo Álvarez y Eddy